Academics - Advising & Course Selection

Academic Advising

The University expresses its concern for the academic development of each student through the program of academic advising which is coordinated by the Office of the Vice President/Academic Dean. Each student is assigned an adviser in his or her major field of interest. Students who have not decided upon a major or teaching option are assigned a temporary adviser until a choice of major is made. These students first work with their academic adviser for discussion of the programs at Concord University and what may or may not be appropriate for them. Testing can help determine a student's aptitude in different academic areas. When one or more programs are identified, students are encouraged to approach faculty in these areas for more information. Students expecting to complete program requirements in a timely fashion typically declare a major before they have completed 60 credit hours.

Provision is made for the change of adviser, if this is necessary, by consulting the division office in the student's major area. The adviser is the student's major contact point with the University. Questions concerning curriculum, regulations, course selection, change of major, and academic achievement should be taken to the adviser. Personal or social problems of a more general nature can be taken to the adviser for referral to the appropriate University or community service. See section on counseling  for more information about this service.

Academic Success Center

The Academic Success Center (ASC) assists the university community with services to promote student success at Concord. Advising; tutoring; the Parents Club; UNIV 100, first year experience course (required of all freshmen and some transfer students); reading and study skills; academic advising for undecided majors; workshops; trainings; and intervention services are but a few of the comprehensive services offered by the ASC. Additionally, the ASC generates, analyzes, and shares institutional retention and graduation data. Committees and activities designed to assist with students remaining at Concord and graduating from the university are part of the ASC's goals. The ASC serves as a "one stop" location for students needing assistance and as a referral source for faculty/staff/parents.  More information on the ASC is available at http://concord.edu/student-affairs/academic-success-center or Email: asc@concord.edu

Adding and Dropping Courses

Students may not add a class that has already met for a total of four instructional hours, or after the beginning of the second instructional week of the class, whichever comes first. Forms for adding courses can be obtained from the Registrar's Office. Students fill out the form, obtain approval from their academic adviser and the instructors of the courses involved, and return the completed form to the Registrar's Office.

Classes may be dropped by filling out the form obtained in the Registrar's Office. Courses dropped will not appear on the student's transcript, provided the course(s) are dropped by the end of the fifth instructional day of a semester or the third instructional day of a summer term.  Students will not be charged for classes dropped within the first five days of the regular semester or first three days of a summer term.  Financial aid will be determined on enrollment status at the end of business on the fifth day of a regular semester or third day of  a summer term.

The deadline for dropping classes with the grade of W will be the end of the ninth instructional week of a semester long course. Courses conducted over a period of time less than a full semester may be dropped up to the third class meeting. The deadline for dropping during a summer term will be based on the same ratio as the ninth week of a regular semester.

A student dismissed from class for disruptive behavior will receive a grade of F and may not subsequently withdraw from the class. Each student who remains enrolled in the course past any of the above deadlines must be assigned a grade from the following: A, B, C, D, F, I, or P.

A student who does not attend the first session of a class for which they are registered/wait-listed or stops attending a course within the first five days of a regular semester (first three days of a summer term) may be removed from the course by instructor request for non-attendance.  However, it is ultimately the student's responsibility to ensure the proper addition/deletion of courses within their semester schedule. 

Any student who wishes to withdraw from all courses of enrollment for a semester/term should refer to the following section:  Withdrawal from the University  

Applicable Catalog

Students entering Concord University shall follow the curriculum provisions and degree requirements of the Catalog at the time of first registration, unless the provisions of a later Catalog seem more appropriate and they choose, with the advice of an adviser and with notification to the Registrar's Office, to follow the later Catalog. A student may not select part of a program from one Catalog and part from another.

Certain new regulations may become effective, regardless of when the student first enrolled at Concord. Students will be notified of these changes and are responsible to meet new requirements.

Students enrolled under previous catalogs must follow the latest catalog regulations under these circumstances:

If a student completes less than six semester hours during any one academic year, calculating from one fall registration to the next, he or she becomes subject to the provisions of the latest Catalog.

If there are changes in major or minor fields or in teaching options within teacher education, the latest requirements for that major or minor or teaching option must be met.

If a student changes from one degree program to another, all requirements for the newly-selected degree, as set forth in the latest Catalog, must be met.

Academic advisers will assist in clarifying the requirements and the choices in courses of study, as well as assist with the scheduling of each semester's work. The Registrar's Office, upon request, will inform a student of the state of the requirements which have been met toward a declared objective and those requirements which remain to be met. A student should request a progression sheet from the Registrar's Office as soon as having attained junior standing (60 credit hours). A student can view his or her transcript and registration at any time through Concord's student records system (MyCU).

The staff in the Office of Career Services and Student Affairs will confer with students about career questions or personal problems which may be affecting their college work. No one, however, will or can take responsibility for student performance. This responsibility is that of the student alone.

Students should be familiar with the following rules that govern academic work.

Auditing Classes

Students enrolled in the University may audit courses upon authorization of the Registrar and the instructors concerned. Once the student has enrolled in a particular course, the student may not change status in that course, during the semester, from audit to credit, or from credit to audit, without the consent of the instructor. The deadline for changing status to audit is the same as dropping a course with a grade of W. Audit courses that are not completed will not be recorded on the student's transcript. Regularly enrolled students may not audit classes which, if taken for credit, would constitute excess semester hours, unless authorized by the Vice President/Academic Dean.

Classification of Students

Students are classified according to the number of semester hours successfully completed.

A "regular full-time student" is any student seeking a degree who is enrolled for twelve or more hours. A student who is seeking a degree, but who is enrolled for less than twelve hours, is classified as a "part-time student." The term "non-matriculating student" applies to those who are not seeking a degree . The following policies on academic standards and academic standing apply to all three categories of students:

Dean's List

The Office of the Vice President/ Academic Dean publishes a list of full-time students who were registered for a minimum of 12 credit hours and have attained a grade point average of 3.5 or above at the end of each regular semester.

Definition of Terminology

The following terms may be helpful to students in their program planning:

MAJOR: Under the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, or Business Administration degrees, the student[s non-teaching field of primary academic emphasis. The courses may fall within a single department or may overlap 54 several departments for a comprehensive major.

MINOR: Under the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, or Business Administration degrees, the student[s non-teaching secondary academic emphasis.

TEACHING FIELDS: Under the Bachelor of Science in Education degree, the student's program of courses in a specific field or fields required for teaching in the middle and/or high school. One or two fields may be selected.

SUBJECT SPECIALIZATION: Under the Bachelor of Science in Education degree, the student's specific specialization taken along with a core program for teaching in the elementary and/or middle school.

AREA OF EMPHASIS: In some degree programs, the student selects a non-teaching area of emphasis, along with the required basic courses.

Evening Classes

Concord University offers a number of its regular campus courses at night both on campus and at various off-campus sites. The schedule of courses for any semester will indicate which courses will meet in the evening. Students successfully completing these courses are given residence credit, if they are fully admitted to the University. Regular students may take evening classes as part of their full schedule. For those taking less than full course loads, including persons enrolled only for single courses, part-time fees will be assessed, as described here .

Independent Study

Independent Study courses are designed to allow students to pursue independent research projects in specialized areas other than and beyond the content material of any other specific course listed in the Catalog. The purpose of the independent study is to encourage individual research initiative and independent study habits. No independent study course, therefore, will be used simply to substitute for any other course listed in the Catalog or to satisfy course requirements other than independent study itself. Although each independent study course is tailored differently to suit individual departmental and divisional differences, all individual study courses will meet the following minimal requirements:

Before undertaking an independent study, a student must present a written proposal outlining the study project and the anticipated research methods to an appropriate Faculty member. A committee consisting of this Faculty member and at least two persons from the appropriate discipline or disciplines will evaluate the proposal for this particular independent study project. The committee must approve the study proposal before the student is allowed to register for the course. This same committee will be responsible, upon completion of the independent study, to evaluate the project and assign a final grade for the course. Divisional and/or departmental chairpersons are required to keep a record of the activities of each committee.

Beyond these minimal requirements, responsibility for the administration of independent study courses, including the make-up and manner of selection of each committee, will be the prerogative of the appropriate division or department.

Applications for Independent Study may be obtained from the divisional chairpersons. Procedures to follow are listed on the applications.

Off-Campus Program

In accordance with the Standards for Off-Campus Instruction, adopted by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, Concord University delivers a number of its classes and programs at off-campus sites throughout its service region. The opening of the Erma Byrd Higher Education Center in Fall 2007 has enabled Concord to increase substantially its delivery of instruction to the Beckley/ Raleigh County area. In 2010 Concord began delivery of on-site graduate as well as undergraduate classes to Beckley.

Off-campus courses qualify as resident credit for Concord students and satisfy the Standards for Assuring Quality in Off-Campus Credit Instruction, adopted by West Virginia's Higher Education system in January 1992.

These Standards include: a) the same admission, assessment, and placement standards as those which apply on-campus; b) a substantive mix (as close to 50%-50% as possible) between part-time and full-time faculty to ensure standards of academic quality; and c) the same course prerequisites, student assignments, number of instructional hours, degree of library and laboratory use, and other features of improved student performance as are required in Concord's on-campus classes.

Out-of-State Academic Programs

West Virginia provides for its residents who wish to pursue academic programs not available within the State through the Academic Common Market and through contract programs. Both programs provide for West Virginians to enter out-of-state institutions at reduced tuition rates. Contract programs have been established for study in veterinary medicine, optometry, architecture, podiatry, and travel industry management. The Academic Common Market provides access to numerous graduate programs. The programs are restricted to West Virginia residents who have been accepted for admission to one of the specific programs at designated out-of-state institutions. Further information may be obtained through the Registrar's Office.

Planning a Course of Study

Graduation from Concord University requires a minimum of 120-semester hour credits. A semester hour is equivalent to a class meeting once a week for a semester; a course carrying three semester hours credit, therefore, normally meets three times a week in 50 minute class periods throughout the semester. A semester is approximately fifteen weeks in length with a final examination period at the end of the semester. The credit hour value of Concord courses is to be found in the academic catalog as a number in parentheses at the end of each course title. A normal course load for fall or spring semester would be four or five courses totaling about fifteen or sixteen hours credit. Sixteen hours taken over eight semesters would complete the total of 120 hours in four academic years without summer study. Completion of 120 hours of coursework, however, does not constitute completion of a Concord University degree unless the total does include all of the specified courses required for the degree being sought. Most degree programs can be completed within 120 semester hours; certain combinations of majors and minors, or teaching fields, may require more than 120 credit hours for satisfactory completion.

Students may find it necessary to take courses in one or more summer terms in order to complete degree requirements within four calendar years. Seven credit hours may be taken in each of the two terms offered each summer session.

Concord University reserves the right to prescribe not only the courses required for a degree, but the order in which those courses may be scheduled by a student.

Public Service Learning Internships

Each fall and spring semester, the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission sponsors a number of off-campus student internships. The majority of these are in-state government offices in the Charleston metropolitan area. They are normally a full semester in length and are designed to familiarize participants with the activities and responsibilities of West Virginia's public agencies. Students accepted into the program receive financial support during their internships and are awarded up to fifteen hours of college credit upon satisfactory completion of the internship requirements. Further information may be obtained through the Registrar's Office.

Semester Hour Load

Classification as a full-time student requires enrollment in at least twelve semester hours of courses each semester, or at least four semester hours each summer term.

The maximum permissible course load each semester is as follows:

1. fifteen hours for those students who are on academic probation;
2. eighteen hours for incoming freshmen, returning students who are not on academic probation and who have a grade average of less than 3.00, and, transfer students in good standing.
3. twenty-one hours for those students who have a grade average of 3.00 or greater.

Students must file an academic exception to request more than twenty-one hours per term.

The maximum permissible course load for each of the two terms of the summer session is as follows:

1. six hours for those students who are on academic probation;
2. seven hours for all students who are not on academic probation.

Students must file an academic exception to request more than seven hours per summer term.

Workshops

Workshops on and off campus may be scheduled, depending on the needs expressed and the availability of Concord faculty for such service. Workshops occasionally are scheduled as courses on campus. Credit is given to those properly enrolled. Workshops usually carry one to three hours of credit and may not be taken for credit in that subject more than once. Non-credit workshops may be arranged for particular purposes in consultation with University officials. All workshops are subject to approval by Concord University, and they must meet the requirements of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission.